Even the hardiest of DIY enthusiasts will probably need to call in a tradesperson at some time – and a good one is worth their weight in gold. You’ll often find yourself with new challenges in Australia, from how to maintain your pool through to looking after your garden in the Aussie climate. So, here’s how to find a tradesperson in Australia you can trust.

No region of Italy avoids a period of cold weather during the winter, so if you’re buying an Italian home you should consider not only how to stay cool in summer, but also how to keep warm on a winter’s night. There are air-con units that heat as well as cool, but electricity is your most expensive heating option, and you can’t exactly cosy up under an aircon unit. Our living room didn’t have a fireplace, so my husband built one himself using the local Puglian sandstone. He carved the soft stone himself, to match the original star vaulted ceiling built in the 1600s.